Latest tvOS beta hints at the existence of a 4K Apple TV

As we await the fifth iteration of Apple TV, the biggest question on our minds is also a simple one: Will Apple's next set-top box finally support 4K High Dynamic Range content?

It appears that more signs point to yes as developer Guilherme Rambo claims to have uncovered references to an HDR-capable Apple TV whilst combing through the latest beta of tvOS 11.

The model name found in the assets appears to be "J105A," which lines up with a previous report from Bloomberg earlier this year, which claimed Apple was testing a 4K HDR-compatible set-top box under a similar code name.

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This isn't the first time a link was found connecting Apple TV to 4K. Rambo's previous dig into the Apple HomePod's firmware earlier this month also pointed to a 4K-compatible Apple TV, along with reports of 4K HDR films beginning to crop up on iTunes.

Deep dives into code aside, it's also just common sense that Apple would consider 4K for its next Apple TV, with competing set-top boxes like Amazon Fire TV, Nvidia Shield and Google's Chromecast Ultra all having 4K HDR support for a while now.

As for when we can expect Apple to confirm if a new Apple TV is in the works, a possible announcement could come as soon as next month when the tech giant is expected to finally spill the beans on the iPhone 8.

Via 9to5Mac

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Parker Wilhelm
Parker Wilhelm is a freelance writer for TechRadar. He likes to tinker in Photoshop and talk people's ears off about Persona 4.